Training & Careers

Five Florida Crime Bills Signed into Law

June 20, 2007

Taking a no-nonsense stance against Internet predators, sex offenders, and crimes committed against law enforcement officers, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed five bills into law today. Crist also proposed that the Florida Supreme Court empanel a statewide grand jury to investigate gang activities, The News-Press reported.

Expanding the CyberCrimes division was a win-win for both the governor and Attorney General Bill McCollum. The Office of Statewide Prosecution had requested that the special multi-jurisdictional grand jury investigate organized operations ranging from drug dealing and theft to computer pornography and racketeering.

According to McCollum, expanding the reach of the cyber-crimes unit from six employees to 56 will enable investigative officers to work with city and county police statewide to help quell sexual predators' use of online chat rooms or social networking sites to find minors.

In addition to the CyberCrimes Act, the new laws include SB 1604, which tightens registration criteria for sex offenders, HB 409, which increases penalties for crimes against law enforcement officers, and HB 25, which increases penalties for drunk drivers who leave the scene of an accident. HB 25 also toughens manslaughter penalties.

Seattle is coming armed with much better salaries and more frequent raises. Starting salary for a police officer in Honolulu is $65,592 per year versus $81,444 for a newly sworn officer in Seattle. For veteran officers, the pay gap is even larger.

"Training time is a scarce resource in law enforcement and must be effectively utilized. This course discusses maximizing the use of training time and is critical to the successful outcome of our students in law enforcement contacts."

Many officers say BPD is a very different place today than it once was. Those who left did so for a variety of reasons, but themes that emerged included the lack of political and community support; inadequate staffing, with days off denied and forced overtime; heavy caseloads for investigators; shrinking chances for special assignments; and sinking morale. Many who are still at BPD have expressed similar grievances.

In an effort to increase the number of potential new recruits eligible to join the agency, the Dallas Police Department wants to eliminate the requirement that recruits complete 45 hours of college credit.

Read about the journey to the Fort Myers' RTCC and how the department has been transformed to a 21st century policing agency, leading to a drop in violence in the two months since the center went online.